Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Elizabeth Atia •
To celebrate National Biscuit Day in the UK, I thought I’d share an easy chocolate chip cookies recipe.
When I was a young girl, I used to attend a North American children’s camp every summer. Summer camp was all about outdoor adventures, canoeing, fishing, ziplining and making the best of friends in the space of a week. Every evening we’d have a huge campfire, sing songs and head back to the cafeteria for our evening snack – usually milk and cookies.
When I was in my late teens, I started working there as assistant cook in the kitchens. It was then I learned how to make these seriously amazing chocolate chip cookies.
Note, here in the UK the term biscuit refers to a flat, sweet treat (called cookies in America) while in America the word biscuit refers to a scone-type risen, savoury bake served with soups. You can find my recipe for baking powder biscuits at the end of my potato & leek soup recipe post.
For me, these are the ultimate chocolate chip cookies – crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Perfect with a glass of ice-cold milk.
The Art of Chocolate Making with Paul A Young
If you're looking for a fun activity Paul A Young's Chocolate course is fun for all the family! Paul will give you the tools you need to create beautiful handmade chocolates at home.
You will be taken on a whirlwind tour of the world of chocolate, covering everything from its history right through to creating and decorating truffles at a professional standard.
Some tips for making these cookies:
-Don't be tempted to substitute the vegetable shortening for butter, as the texture just won’t be the same. Butter has a lower melting temperature than shortening, so if you use butter the cookies will spread more quickly and end up thinner and crispier.
-You can substitute caster sugar for the granulated, but granulated sugar makes the cookies browner and crisp up nicely.
-Don’t flatten the cookie dough balls before baking – leaving them round means they take longer to bake, resulting in a thicker, softer cookie. If you flatten them they’ll be thinner and crispier.
-Mix up your chocolates if you wish, you can make these with traditional milk chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chunks or even white chocolate.
-These cookies freeze well – simply freeze them in a single layer so they don’t stick together. When they’re solid, transfer them to a freezer-proof bag or box and the defrost on the kitchen counter-top for a half an hour or so when needed.
Happy cookie baking!
Ingredients
- 115 grams vegetable shortening
- 115 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams light brown muscovado sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175 grams plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 125 grams plain or milk chocolate chips
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 °C/ 350 °F
2. In a large bowl, cream together the vegetable shortening and sugars until they’re light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until very well combined.
4. Sift over the flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until combined.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Using your fingers, pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and gently roll into balls.
8. Place the cookie dough balls onto a greased baking tray and bake in the centre of your oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden at the edges.
9. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recommended course
The Art of Chocolate Making
Paul A Young
The Art of Chocolate Making taught by Paul A Young
Create beautiful handmade truffles, water ganaches, chocolate bark & more with master chocolatier Paul A Young
View courseAll Food & Drink coursesStay updated
Receive free updates by email including special offers and new courses.
